A couple years ago, I enrolled in college in Nashville, TN. Thus far, I can say my experiences have been quite pleasant; there are many sites and sounds here that are nonexistent back home. With plenty of music, restaurants, and bars, it’s definitely a place to keep one busy. Here’s the problem: in order to get to such places, you will need some form of transportation. I feel Nashville is making what’s supposed to be the most convenient methods of getting around a living nightmare. Perhaps I’m being a little biased here since I’m from a small town, but it’s not my fault that people have no concern for each other’s safety. In these instances, it’s typically a smart bet to use a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft, but I’m not about to pay over forty dollars for a back and forth trip to Walmart. Then you realize that Walmart is too far in terms of walking distance. It seems the only option left is to drive there yourself.
When I go out and drive myself, I only stick to places close to campus (Krogers, the Circle K station, etc). Every time I come home, friends and family always say, “Gee, you must be having a blast living down there. Have you been to any good bars? What about the food?” My response is always the same, “Yeah, it’s wonderful.” I don’t blame them for asking, but they clearly don’t understand what it’s like to sit at the Wedgewood and 8th intersection with those that are oblivious to colors and traffic lights, or having to make this ridiculous left turn out of campus onto 12 South to get to class. Not to mention all the “construction” that goes on. I seriously think they just put cones out to simply mess with people instead of fixing actual problems like the occasional pothole you hit once every five seconds. It’s not just the road conditions themselves, but also their size. Half the time, two cars can’t fit on the same street with all these other vehicles parked on the side. Imagine that, then adding a steep blind hill where you can’t see what’s coming toward you and you’ve uncovered one of my greatest fears.
It doesn’t help that I judge the size of my car poorly (I think it’s bigger than it actually is). One day I was coming back to campus and got stuck at the intersection between Powell Ave and Thompson Lane (another bad one). I figured I couldn’t get around the car in front of me, so I waited since traffic was worse than normal. I guess the person behind me got mad, so mad that he got out of his car and started cursing at me. I was a nervous wreck and didn’t know what to do. Why didn’t they use their horn first? I feel a little more confident now, but it’s still rough.
Another time I was leaving the Johnson parking garage to get my haircut. My car was in one of the lower levels so it takes forever to get out. On top of that, the building itself is so narrow and you can’t see who’s coming around corners. By the time you do, you have to try and react quick enough to where you don’t hit them and vice versa. It’s dark in there and you’re supposed to have your lights on at all times (no one really follows this). Anyway, I make it to the top, relieved no one was coming at me. When I then heard this screeching noise as my car grinned to a halt. When I get out, I see that I drove over the divider which separates cars coming in and out. As I looked up, this other driver and I made awkward eye contact for a very long three seconds. I just got back in and threw it in reverse. I assessed everything after, and nothing was wrong but I found it to be pretty scarring. It doesn’t help when you see a car enter that garage all the rest of your days, followed by the squealing sound of tires.
One more thing, I wish DMVs had the funding to use actual cars during the parallel parking portion of the driver’s test. I get that there would be a lot of risk involved, but that’s how it is in the real world. I haven’t parked like this in over three years and I’m way too scared to do it downtown. It’s not even a requirement on Tennessee’s driving test, so they’d rather have you spend $15 an hour for a parking spot that can be a long ways from your destination.
I get this is something I need to improve in, but it’s hard to do so when the environment you’re part of doesn’t give you the opportunity. This is the biggest reason why I don’t go anywhere, other than being too busy.
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